Planning to buy a flat or villa in Bengaluru? Before you pay a booking amount, check whether the project is registered under RERA and whether the details on the official portal match what the builder or sales team has told you.
A RERA registration number is useful, but the number alone is not the check. The project page behind it tells you far more about the property.
What Is RERA Registration?
RERA registration means a real estate project has been registered with the state's Real Estate Regulatory Authority under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. In Karnataka, this is the Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority (K-RERA).
For homebuyers, registration gives access to verified information about a project, including:
Promoter details and past projects
Project location, phases and number of units
Declared completion date
Quarterly progress updates
Approvals and sanctioned plans uploaded by the promoter
However, RERA registration does not mean the property is free from every legal or financial issue. You still need to do your own due diligence.
How to Check RERA Registration in Karnataka
You can verify a project for free on the official Karnataka RERA portal at rera.karnataka.gov.in. Always type the address yourself or use a link from the official government site, rather than a link sent by a sales executive.
Here is the process:
Open the Karnataka RERA portal.
Go to the registered projects section.
Search by project name, promoter name or RERA registration number. If you are searching by name, add the district (for example, Bengaluru Urban) to narrow the results.
Open the project and read the registration details, not just the certificate.
Compare every key detail with the brochure, agreement draft and what the sales team has told you.
💡 Pro Tip
If the builder has given you a RERA number, search for that exact number yourself. Karnataka project registration numbers typically begin with PRM/KA/RERA and end with a project-specific code. If the number does not return a project, or returns a different one, ask for an explanation before going further.
Check the phase, not just the project
Many Bengaluru developments are launched in phases or towers, and each phase can have its own RERA registration number. A builder may quote the number of an earlier, completed phase while selling a newer one. Confirm that the number belongs to the specific phase or tower you are buying in.
What Should You Check on the RERA Portal?
Once you find the project, review these details one by one.
Promoter and project details: The promoter name, project name, location and survey or site details should match the property you are planning to buy.
Registration number and validity: The number should match what the builder gave you. Check the registration date and the validity period.
Declared completion date: Compare it with the possession date the sales team is promising. If the portal shows a later date than the one you were told, ask why.
Extensions: Check whether the completion date has been extended. A project that has been extended more than once deserves closer questions.
Quarterly progress updates: For an under-construction project, look at the latest updates. If the updates are missing or very old, that is worth raising with the builder.
Units and carpet area: Check the number of units, the unit types and the declared carpet area. Under RERA, the sale is based on carpet area, so compare it with your agreement.
Approvals and documents: Review the sanctioned plan, approvals and other uploads, and compare key details with the documents the developer gives you.
Complaints and orders: Check whether any complaints or orders are listed against the promoter or the project, where the portal shows them.
Promoter's other projects: Look at the promoter's past and ongoing projects to see whether earlier projects were delivered on time.
Why the Escrow Account Matters
Under Section 4 of the RERA Act, a promoter must deposit 70% of the amounts collected from buyers into a separate project bank account and use it only for construction and land costs of that project. This is why you should pay only into the project account named in your agreement and never into a personal or general company account. If a builder asks you to pay somewhere else, stop and get written clarification.
Which Projects Are Exempt From RERA?
An unregistered project is not automatically illegal. Under Section 3 of the RERA Act, registration is not required for:
Projects where the land area is 500 square metres or less, or the number of apartments (across all phases) is 8 or fewer
Projects that received a completion or occupancy certificate before RERA came into force
Renovation, repair or redevelopment work that does not involve marketing, advertising, selling or allotting new units
Ongoing projects that had not received an occupancy certificate when the Act came into force were required to register.
If a project is large enough to need registration but the builder has not given you a RERA number, ask the developer to explain in writing and verify the answer yourself before paying anything.
RERA Registration Does Not Mean You Can Skip Due Diligence
A RERA-registered project can still need further checks. Before booking, also review:
Title and ownership documents
Encumbrance Certificate (available through Kaveri Online Services)
Approvals from the relevant planning authority, such as BDA, BBMP or BMRDA, as applicable
Sale agreement, including the possession date and the delay clause
Cost sheet, including GST, maintenance deposit and other charges
Khata status (A Khata or B Khata) and property-tax records, where applicable
Think of RERA verification as one important step in your property check, not the whole check.
Red Flags to Watch For
The RERA number the builder gives you does not return a project on the portal
The number belongs to a different phase, tower or project
The completion date on the portal is later than what you were told
The project has been extended several times
No quarterly updates, or updates that are well out of date
Complaints or orders listed against the promoter
You are asked to pay into an account that is not the project account
The builder advertises a project as "RERA applied" or "RERA in process" instead of giving a registration number
What If the RERA Details Do Not Match?
Do not pay until the difference is explained. Ask the builder to clarify in writing, especially if the mismatch involves the project, promoter, phase or completion date. If you are not satisfied with the answer, consider getting a property lawyer to review the documents before you proceed.
What Does alldoors Suggest?
Our advice is simple: do the check yourself, and do it before any money changes hands. Don't rely only on a screenshot or certificate forwarded by the sales team. Search the project on the Karnataka RERA portal, and save a dated copy of the project page so you have something to compare against later.
Then read it the way you would read a contract. Does the promoter match the company selling to you? Is it the right phase or tower? Does the completion date match the possession date you were promised? If something looks off, ask the builder to explain it in writing before you pay.
Finally, treat RERA as the start of your checks, not the end. Once the portal details line up, go through the title, Encumbrance Certificate, approvals, Khata and the agreement. It may feel like a lot for one purchase, but a day or two of checking is a small price next to a decision you will live with for years.
